LINGAYEN - - - Pangasinan joins the nationwide Women’s Month celebration with this year’s carrying theme, “CEDAW ng Bayan, Yaman ng Kababaihan.”

CEDAW, which means Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, serves as an urgent call to raise the consciousness of women of their rights and empower them to become strong and self-sufficient individual.

The provincial government through the provincial social welfare office, has organized a group called Provincial Federation of Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (Kalipi) that will spearhead efforts at encouraging women especially in the grassroots level to participate in the development efforts for their own advancement.

Provincial Social Welfare Officer Emilio P. Samson, Jr. said the Kalipi , which is now on its fifth year, was organized in compliance with Republic Act of 7192 or Women in Development and Nation Building Act.

The passage of RA 7192 aims to promote the integration of women as full and equal partners of men in nation building.
With already more than 12,000 members and at least 472 fully organized groups from barangay level, the Kalipi is headed by newly elected provincial president Consolacion A. Penulliar from Mapandan.

The association is led by all municipal social welfare development officers who help community-based women aged 18-59 years old become involve in entrepreneurial and livelihood activities.

Samson added that the organization is embarking on “Program Edification for Best Practices” or Lakbay Aral as one of the activities of this year’s Women’s Month celebration.

Likewise, a seminar on Resource Generation, Mobilization and Micro-Financing for Kalipi members as well as skills training will be part of the month long activities.

The National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), the country’s lead agency, through its memorandum circular, has called on all local government units (LGUs) to focus on the need to generate resources to finance initiatives on gender equality and empowerment of women.